The Ohio Department of Public Safety’s (ODPS) Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) has awarded $96,000 in federal traffic safety funding to the Cincinnati Police Department for federal fiscal year 2014.

“These funds are critical in ensuring that we are doing everything we possibly can to keep our local community safe,” said Lieutenant Bruce Hoffbauer, Traffic Unit Commander. “Based on analysis of crash data, our priorities for Cincinnati are impaired driving, safety restraint use, and the reduction of alcohol-related fatal and serious injury crashes. We are pleased to work with our partners at the state level to address this safety issue.”

Crash data shows that 55 fatal accidents occurred in Cincinnati over the three-year period 2010 - 2012. To reduce these numbers, the Cincinnati Police Department will be conducting high-visibility enforcement, working overtime hours and holding educational and awareness events with the grant funds.

The funds are passed through OTSO from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to support the efforts of safety partners statewide, and to focus on traffic safety priority areas such as restraint use, impaired driving, motorcycle safety and youthful drivers. Competitive grant proposals are accepted and reviewed by OTSO, with funds awarded to projects that will have the greatest impact on reducing fatal crashes or significantly improving traffic safety systems.